Adventures in making Potica!

Mention the word “potica” to an average American, and you’ll most likely get a blank stare. Mention it to a Slovene, and I guarantee their mouth will start watering. Potica (pronounced poh-teet-sah) is a Slovenian bread that is rolled with layers of filling. It can be eaten as breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, a snack, with toppings, plain, on a boat, with a goat, in the rain or on a train. The point is, it’s really good.

Growing up with a Slovenian mother, there hasn’t been a family event I’ve been to where potica has not been served. Usually, there is a designated potica-bringer for these events – that is to say, there is usually only one person who has the time, energy and skill to make such a delicatessen. As my mom always says: it’s not that it’s hard, it’s just time-consuming.

The curiosity in making potica has started to trickle down to my cousins, and finally to me. Better said, our moms are sick of making it and ready for us to take on the responsibility for the next wedding, funeral or reunion.  As the fourth cousin to attempt it, I was compelled to document the process.

While the most traditional version of potica calls for a walnut filling, our familiy has always used great-grandma Balbina’s peanut butter potica recipe (apparently it’s a Slovenian-Minnesotan thing. And yes, you are reading her handwriting correctly…there are graham cracker crumbs in the filling).

Below are pictures of the fun!

Great-grandma Balbina's peanut butter potica

1. Filling 2. Rolling! 3. Spreading on the egg 4. Adding the filling 5. Adding the raisins 6. The folding! Use lots of flour on the sheet! 7. Preparing to bake 8. All done! 9. Ready to eat!